Military eyeing press in Aceh
Military eyeing press in Aceh
Teuku Agam Muzakkir and Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post,
Lhokweumawe/Banda Aceh, Aceh
Ahead of the 27th anniversary of the separatist Free Aceh
Movement (GAM) on Dec. 4, the military is monitoring the press
covering the war in the troubled province more closely, claiming
the policy is "a preventative action".
Newly installed Aceh military operation commander Brig. Gen.
George Toisutta said in Lhokseumawe on Monday that the decision
to monitor press activities was taken due to concern over their
safety while covering the event, because the press was exposed to
various threats, including the possibility of being taken hostage
by GAM rebels.
"We do not want to restrict the press in covering any events
in Aceh, but I ask for some understanding. The press may be
intimidated and I don't want to see another case of violence
against the press like one currently faced by the RCTI crew,"
said the one-star general, referring to Ersa Siregar and Ferry
Santoro, who have been held hostage by GAM rebels in East Aceh
region since June 2003.
Toisutta, who took over the command last week from Maj. Gen.
Bambang Darmono, further said that the military considered Dec.
4, the anniversary of the founding of GAM in 1976, as "an
ordinary day" that did not require any "special preparations".
"We will not focus on intensifying operations to prevent the
rebels from conducting ceremonies. Should we hold operations
during that time, they will just be regular ones," Toisutta said.
Meanwhile, the situation in Aceh remains calm ahead of the GAM
anniversary.
In the past five years, GAM held parades and flag-hoisting
ceremonies to commemorate its anniversary. GAM also invited local
and foreign journalists to its remote camps to cover the
ceremonies held almost simultaneously across the province.
Teungku Jamaika, GAM spokesman for North Aceh, where there is
a huge deployment of military troops, said that the movement's
fighters would celebrate the anniversary and called on the
Acehnese people to remain calm during the event.
"A massive deployment of government troops in our territory
will not affect our spirit to celebrate the occasion. We hope the
people will be able to continue their daily activities during the
event without intimidation from government troops," he said.
Several GAM leaders, including their commanders-in-chief
Muzakkir Manaf and Sofjan Dawood, are believed to be residing
somewhere in North Aceh camps. Muzakkir and Sofjan Dawood are
expected to preside over the anniversary ceremonies somewhere in
the regency.
GAM rebels in the Pidie regency, meanwhile, decided to ban the
press from covering the event for the sake of the safety of both
journalists and GAM rebels.
The government declared martial law on May 19 in the province
and launched an offensive involving 40,000 troops and police to
wipe out GAM.
More than 1,000 guerrillas have been killed since then, while
another 2,000 have been arrested or have surrendered and 485
weapons have been seized, the military claims. No top rebel
leaders, however, have been arrested so far.
Meanwhile, Wahyu, a deputy GAM commander overseeing Kuta Raja
region in Aceh Besar, along with his nine troops, surrendered to
the local military and handed over a Colt pistol and 15 bullets.
"Wahyu is the first rebel leader to surrender to the military
by handing over his weapons. We urge more rebels to do so," Aceh
Besar military district commander Lt. Col. Joko Warsito said as
quoted by Antara.